[Satellite News 11-29-11] FSS operators have big plans for Africa in 2012, with investments in fleet and service expansion across the continent in a race set to begin with the launch of new satellites.

            Intelsat is prepared to launch three new satellites to its 22-spacecraft fleet serving Africa in 2012, backed by new contracts with customers utilizing its African video distribution satellite neighborhoods and broadband capacity. Regional premier pay-TV platform operator and programming distributor Multichoice Africa expanded its commitment for capacity on Intelsat 904 for contribution services. This agreement complements Multichoice’s DTH capacity on Intelsat 7 satellite at the 68.5 degrees East orbital slot. India’s Zee Entertainment Enterprises also will begin distributing its programming at 68.5 degrees East after signing a multi-year agreement with the operator that spans both Intelsat 10 and the follow-on Intelsat 20 satellite, which is scheduled for launch in mid-2012. Dubai-based operator Strong Technologies also renewed its multi-year commitment to the Intelsat 10 video neighborhood to support its DTH platform.

            “From introducing DTH platforms to supporting reliable broadband in remote regions, Intelsat’s satellite network has been a springboard for technology advancement in Africa, supporting the continent’s socioeconomic development,” Intelsat Senior Vice President of Global Sales Kurt Riegelman said in a statement.

            Intelsat’s 2011 third quarter saw its debt load lightened and losses narrowed. The operator’s contracted backlog, which now stands at $10.7 billion, places the operator in a much better position compared with the end of 2010 when its backlog was $9.8 billion.

            Intelsat CEO David McGlade said several key drivers, including an increase in its government business and a solid performance from its media sector, influenced the results. “Our overall business activity is strong, and we are achieving success in obtaining long-term commitments from blue chip customers for capacity in the fastest growing markets, such as our recently announced services agreement with DirecTV Latin America. This contract builds quality backlog and adds two new satellite programs for the attractive Latin America region,” McGlade said in a statement.

            SES has seven satellites covering the African region. The operator is launching two satellites in the coming months and additional satellites in 2012 and 2013 — a total combined investment volume of about $1 billion.

            SES provides capacity to Top TV in South Africa and Zuku TV in Kenya, deals which are structured to attract lower market segments to satellite capacity and have led to partnerships between TV and mobile companies. In September, Canal Plus Overseas, the international subsidiary of French pay-TV operator Canal Plus, contracted multiple transponders and signed a long-term agreement for its subsidiary Canal Plus Afrique in order to distribute its pay-TV bouquet of channels to Africa over the SES-4 satellite, which is set to launch in late December. Canal Plus’ new contract with SES included the migration of its pay-TV bouquet from NSS-7 to SES-4 without having to switch orbital positions or re-point customer dishes.

            “With SES-4 at launch base, we will soon be ready to provide enhanced services to customers on four continents," SES CTO Martin Halliwell said in a Nov. 21 statement.

            Upon arriving in orbit, SES-4 will be the largest, most powerful satellite in SES’ fleet, with a mission to enhance the operator’s FSS capability and reach to the Americas, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The hybrid C- and Ku-band satellite also will replace the NSS-7 satellite operating at 338 degrees East.

The orbital slot is one of the most highly demanded locations for trans-Atlantic traffic serving Africa, Europe and the Americas. SES Chief Commercial Officer Ferdinand Kayser said the location offers incentives for customers. “This orbital location is already a well-established SES neighborhood over Africa and will offer our customers considerable incremental capacity for growth with SES-4. As customers aim to increase the number of services they offer, SES will provide the required state-of-the-art satellite capacity optimally covering all target markets in Africa.”

            FSS Operator Eutelsat CEO Michel de Rosen also highlighted his company’s plans for the northern end of the continent, supported by existing contracts and new contracts on satellites covering North Africa and the Middle East.

            “[The first quarter 2012] reflects a temporary transitional period for our company until current capacity constraints, resulting from two years of stronger than expected up-take of our in-orbit resources, are alleviated,” de Rosen said. “Atlantic Bird 7 and W3C will enter into full commercial service during the 2012 second quarter. Both of these satellites cover fast-growing video markets including the Middle East, North Africa and central Europe. The W3C satellite also will significantly expand our capacity to serve data markets in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and central Asia.”

            According to de Rosen, the combination of Atlantic Bird 7 and W3C with five additional Eutelsat satellites scheduled for launch by June 2014 will enable the operator to meet continued underlying demand in a variety of its markets.

            “We therefore confirm our revenue target for the 2012 full year of more than 1.235 billion euros ($1.7 billion) and more than 7 percent CAGR for the 2011-2014 outlook period, accompanied by an EBITDA margin of above 77 percent,” said de Rosen.

            Eutelsat’s Atlantic Bird 7 was launched in late September and entered into commercial service Oct. 23 at the 7 degrees West orbital slot. The satellite offers broadcast coverage over the Middle East and North Africa and is operated in close coordination with Egyptian satellite operator Nilesat. The spacecraft currently broadcasts 394 Arab and international channels to an audience of nearly 30 million satellite homes. Atlantic Bird 7 has 11 more transponders than the Atlantic Bird 4A satellite that it replaced. De Rosen said the switch was designed to significantly increased its video resources in an identified key broadcast market across the Gulf states and up to the Atlantic coast of Northwest Africa.

            “The Atlantic Bird 4A satellite completed its mission and will now be released to continue full commercial service at another Eutelsat location at three degrees East to address data and telecom markets in Europe and South-West Asia. It will be called Eutelsat 3C and will be co-located at 3 degrees East with Eutelsat 3A,” de Rosen explained.

            The W3C satellite, launched Oct. 7, is set to commence service Nov. 9, supporting broadcast services to Central Europe and Indian Ocean islands, as well as data markets in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia from the orbital position at 16 degrees East. W3C replaces Eutelsat’s Eurobird 16, W2M and SESAT 1 satellites with 53 Ku-band and three Ka-band transponders supporting broadcasting and telecom/data services for several markets.

            One of the W3C satellite’s footprints was optimized for DTH broadcasting in Central Europe. De Rosen said the operator’s strategy is to anchor the 16 degrees East orbital position as a point of reference for satellite TV in the region, as it currently hosts 481 TV channels and serves more than 11 million households. A second beam over the Indian Ocean islands aims to help broadcasters accelerate regional transitions to digital, including free-to-air channels to the French departments of Mayotte and the Reunion Islands.

            A third beam will serve Europe, North Africa and the Middle East with expanded capacity for data networks and newsgathering, and a fourth Ku-band beam at 16 degrees East will connect an area from Senegal to Madagascar to its European Ka-band service. “This will respond to high-growth applications that include GSM backhaul and Internet access for enterprises and public agencies,” de Rosen said.

            Eutelsat’s Eurobird 16 and Sesat 1 satellites will go into inclined orbit at 16 degrees East after WC3 enters into service, with W2M redeployed to an alternative location. Eutelsat also commissioned a high-capacity Ku-band satellite from manufacturer Astrium. The satellite, named Eutelsat 9B, is set for launch to the nine degrees East orbital slot at the end of 2014.